Tiger quoll

Dasyurus maculatus

Blamed on foxes

IUCN status: Near Threatened

EPBC Predator Threat Rating: Very high

IUCN claim: “Predation by foxes and dogs”

Studies in support

A fox consumed part of a quoll, possibly scavenged, and remains of two additional quolls were found that had likely been scavanged or hunted (Körtner et al. 2003).

Studies not in support

Dataset of tiger quoll and fox abundance across 8 sites does not show a negative correlation (Catling and Burt 1997). Körtner et al. (2003) found no effect of poison-baiting on quoll abundance and no effect on fox abundance at two sites, nor was a relationship reported between quoll and fox abundance.

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

No studies were found linking foxes to tiger quoll population trends.

Evidence linking Dasyurus maculatus to foxes. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Dasyurus maculatus and foxes. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that foxes contribute to the decline of Dasyurus maculatus, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. See methods section in [current submission] for details on evidence categories.
Evidence linking Dasyurus maculatus to foxes. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Dasyurus maculatus and foxes. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that foxes contribute to the decline of Dasyurus maculatus, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. See methods section in [current submission] for details on evidence categories.

References

Catling, P.C. and Burt, R.J., 1997. Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in north-eastern New South Wales: the species, their abundance and distribution. Wildlife Research, 24(1), pp.1-19.

Current submission (2023) Scant evidence that introduced predators cause extinctions.

EPBC. (2015) Threat Abatement Plan for Predation by Feral Cats. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Department of Environment, Government of Australia. (Table A1).

IUCN Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ Accessed June 2023

Körtner, G., Gresser, S. and Harden, B., 2003. Does fox baiting threaten the spotted-tailed quoll, Dasyurus maculatus?. Wildlife Research, 30(2), pp.111-118.